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–+ servings
Tuna and White Bean Pasta

Tuna and White Bean Pasta | Cheap Mediterranean Lunch

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A Mediterranean-inspired pantry pasta with canned tuna and white beans, finished with lemon and parsley. Costs about $2 per serving, tastes great cold the next day, and comes together in 15 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 ounce short pasta penne, fusilli, or shells
  • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 3 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 2 can tuna 5 oz each, packed in olive oil or water, drained
  • 1 can cannellini beans 15 oz / 425 g, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice fresh, plus zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup parsley chopped fresh
  • ½ teaspoon salt to taste

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
  2. While the pasta cooks, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the drained tuna and white beans to the skillet, breaking the tuna into chunks. Warm through for 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add the drained pasta, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, salt, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss everything together, adding a splash of pasta water if it looks dry.
  5. Portion into 4 containers for the week. Serve warm or cold.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 28gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 580mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2g

Notes

Net carbs: 44g per serving (50g total carbs minus 6g fiber).
Substitutions: Use chickpeas or great northern beans in place of cannellini; swap tuna for canned salmon; add halved cherry tomatoes or a handful of arugula at the end for extra colour.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days in airtight containers. Eats brilliantly cold from the fridge — a classic Italian pasta-salad style lunch.
Reheating: Microwave 1 to 2 minutes with a teaspoon of water, or eat at room temperature.

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